In 2018, Gurkha reintroduced flavored cigars into its portfolio with the Gurka Cafe Tabac Red Cherry. Combining hints of cherry with premium long-filler Nicaraguan Habano tobaccos, I was fascinated to see how the ripe sweetness of the cherries played off against the rich and spicy Habano.
The Red Cherry was one of three Gurkha Cafe Tabac cigars released during this period, with the others being Classic Coffee and White Rascal Vanilla. All were designed to exude their unique flavor profile, but today we’ll try and pick the stone fruits out of this medium-strength smoke.
Brand Overview
Steeped in opulence and lit up by the affluent, including Sheikhs and celebrities, Gurka Cigars are a high-end premium brand whose name can be traced back to 1887.
At the height of British rule, colonial soldiers began to smoke and enjoy their cigars from local tobacco. Their admiration for the fearless Nepalese fighters (the Gurkhas) inspired them to name their cigars after them.
We jump forward just over a century to 1989 and reach the rebirth of Gurka Cigars. Founder Kaizad Hansotia was born into his family's luxury time-piece business, but it was a holiday to India that would change his life.
Hansotia met a Portuguese vendor selling sticks under the name Gurka and was immediately mesmerized by the art of cigar making. He bought the entire inventory and company from the stranger for just $143. Unbeknown to him, this was just as the industry was on the cusp of a boom.
Hansotia planned to gift the cigars to his watch clients, but after sharing his new haul with duty-free suppliers, he quickly received requests for more cigars. Having discovered a market for his high-end cigars, Hansotia got to work by creating a band famous for its elegance, artistic packaging, and eye-watering prices, with some boxes costing $25,000.
Gurkha now make cigars to suit every smoker’s budget, but there’s no denying they changed attitudes and buying habits towards purchasing the cream of the crop in the cigar world.
Cigar specs
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Strength: Medium
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
- Sizes Available: Gurkha Cafe Tabac Red Head Cherry (4 x 32)
Cold draw
An immediate cherry hit was singing from the creamy golden-brown Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. Cherries can sometimes have an acidic taste, but even the pre-light draw was like I had stepped into a candy store.
First Third
Measuring 4 inches by 32 ring gauge, I was intrigued to see how much flavor I would get in the 15-20 minutes of smoking time. The cherry stuck to my lips for the entire smoke, but a touch of acidity trickled through after toasting.
The cigar quickly settles into a classic sweet cherry profile with occasional cinnamon, rose, and light spice.
Second Third
The cherry profile and scent are still present in the second third, but it’s richer and fuller-flavored, more akin to sour cherries. A newfound intensity to the sweetness develops with almond and lush cocoa, with a syrupy undercurrent offering a subtle tartness.
A touch of cinnamon is left on the finish, while a slight woody property came to the fore as I burned my way into the home straight.
Final Third
So far, it had been all sweet dreams, and the final part of my smoking journey stayed true to the core flavor profile of cherries. While the cigar isn’t overly complex, the smoke is filled with a deep peppery, woodsy flavor that lingers for a few minutes on the finish.
Even though the flavor evolution was minimal, I enjoyed that this short but sweet smoke lived up to its billing, never veering far from this popular fruit's classic flavors and aromas.
Conclusion
The Gurka Café Tabac Red Cherry did what it said on the tin (quite literally). Juicy, sweet flavors dominated my palate, but there was still enough sharpness from the rich tobacco and other flavor elements to balance my experience.
Perfect for winding down after a long day in the office, pick up 10 tins of 5 for just $130.00 from Cigars.com today.
